Pictures from Vermont

This recent photo of the wind turbines on Lowell Mountain in northern Vermont in a lightning storm provokes the thoughts of the dangers of forest fires as these machines are erected throughout heavily forested areas in northern New England.

This picture was taken from the top of Lowell Mountain in Vermont, 20 miles away and northeast of the turbines in the view. First Wind erected the sixteen 2.5 megawatt Clipper wind turbines. Each stands over 420 feet tall.

Turbine #10 at the Searsburg wind energy facility in Searsburg, Vermont experienced a catastrophic failure on September 15, 2008. One of the destroyed blades remains as litter at the project site. Green Mountain Power, the Vermont utility that owns the plant, and the State of Vermont, have neglected to have the land cleared of turbine debris.

Turbine #10 at the Searsburg wind energy facility in Searsburg, Vermont experienced a catastrophic failure on September 15, 2008. Debris from the collapsed tower still litter the landscape. In this photo, a giant piece of the blade dangerously hangs in tree branches. Green Mountain Power, the Vermont utility that owns the plant, just left the turbine pieces strewn in the woods near the site.

Turbine #10 at the Searsburg wind energy facility in Searsburg, Vermont experienced a catastrophic failure on September 15, 2008. One of the destroyed blades remains as litter at the project site. Green Mountain Power, the Vermont utility that owns the plant, and the State of Vermont, have neglected to have the land cleared of turbine debris.

The Searsburg wind turbines were first erected in 1996. The blades of the turbines at Searsburg are made out of fiberglass. Each 60-foot long blade weighs about 4,250 pounds. To help with ice removal, the blades are black and have a Teflon-like coating. The white on the blades in the photograph shows ice build-up on the blades.

Turbine #10 of the 11-turbine Searsburg wind facility in Searsburg VT collapsed on September 15 in high wind conditions. One of the turbine blades hit the base causing the tower to buckle and the nacelle and rotor assembly to crash to the ground.

Turbine #10 of the 11-turbine Searsburg wind facility in Searsburg VT collapsed on September 15 in high wind conditions. One of the turbine blades hit the base causing the tower to buckle and the nacelle and rotor assembly to crash to the ground.

One of the Searsburg turbines is reported out of service and the blades removed. This is not a first-time occurrence at the facility. In prior cases, the turbine was down for at least three months. Use of this picture is permitted with attribution to www.windaction.org .

One of the Searsburg turbines is reported out of service and the blades removed. This is not a first-time occurrence at the facility. In prior cases, the turbine was down for at least three months. Use of this picture is permitted with attribution to www.windaction.org .

One of the Searsburg turbines is reported out of service and the blades removed. This is not a first-time occurrence at the facility. In prior cases, the turbine was down for at least three months. Use of this picture is permitted with attribution to www.windaction.org .

PPM Energy of Portland, Ore. is having a bad week. On Friday, Searsburg, Vt., voters rejected a proposal by PPM to expand the Searsburg wind turbine facility, above. On Monday, a Massachusetts administrative magistrate advised a state permit for the company to build 20 turbines in Florida and Monroe be rescinded.

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